Actress Taapsee Pannu says people must not stop raising their voice against sexual harassment at workplace and continue the #MeToo movement.

Her comment comes two days after director Vikas Bahl was given a clean chit after an allegation of sexual misconduct made against him by a former employee of the now disbanded Phantom Films, was probed, and his credit as director of Super 30 was restored. Even actor Alok Nath, who was accused of rape by writer-director Vinta Nanda, appeared in the film De De Pyaar De.

Asked how she looks at the situation, Taapsee told IANS, “Look, if the person who is accused of sexual harassment, doesn’t get punished, of course the spirit of the movement, the spirit of every woman who comes out with the story of abuse in public, gets shattered. However, that should not stop other girls from raising their voices if they are abused…because girls have stayed silent for ages.”

“We all can see how a collective consciousness has come into the picture since the #MeToo movement started. Nothing will change overnight, but we should not give up on the situation and tolerate abuse,” she said.

Taapsee, who has been vocal about women empowerment, said it takes a lot of time to break the momentum in such matters. “Obstacles will come, but we should not give up. This is a transformative time and therefore it is difficult but if we do not continue, the change will not come,” she added.